Of Candy Canes And Christmas Time
by emzypemzy
Summary: Morgan, Garcia and their christmas traditions. It's going to be a Christmas to remember. Written for Christmas Gift Fic Exchange on Chit Chat on Author's Corner. For BonesBird. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! 3Shot
1. Chapter 1

a/n: It's been a while once again! Hopefully I'll be writing more again in the New Year!

This is for the Chit Chat on Author's Corner Christmas Challenge. Merry Christmas, BonesBird (and to everyone else reading!) Hope it does it justice. The first chapter's really short! (Part1 of 3)

Prompts: tree, tinsel, fairy lights  
Song: O Little Town Of Bethlehem

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds...but, oh! If I did...

-x-x-x-x-

Beginning to speed up his pace as he rounded the corner into the bull pen, heading for the conference room, Morgan hoped that this wasn't a new case they were being called in on. It was almost Christmas and he really didn't want to be running half way across the country to catch an UNSUB when he could be getting ready for one of his favourite times of the year. He wanted to keep his Christmas spirit and chasing after a derange killer would quickly drain him of all he had mustered so far.

He wasn't the only one thinking this.

Garcia was walking as fast as her six inch heels could carry, her mind preoccupied as she hoped and prayed that Hotch had not called them in on a case, not when it was only a week before Christmas and their usual Christmas tradition of present swapping and her and Morgan's Christmas movie night were so close. It was something they all looked forward to and she didn't think any of her wonderful Profiler pals would be able to keep their chiooer Christmassy feeling for any length of time when faced up against another heinous UNSUB. As she spun round the last corner toward the conference room she went careering into someone with a yelp of surprise as she bounced back a few steps. Looking up she was met with the smiling face of Derek Morgan.

Turning in his place, Morgan couldn't help the massive smile that grew with each passing moment. His eyes dragged over every delicious Christmassy inch of her: from the silver tinsel that was weaved into her red hair rather artistically and the Christmas tree earrings all the way down to her red heels, with what – if he wasn't mistaken – were tiny little candy canes printed on them: the woman was Christmas personified and he shouldn't have expected anything else, Penelope Garcia didn't scrimp when it came to _any_ holiday, she always had every little detail covered and a few surprises up her sleeve. He chuckled good naturedly at her Christmas attire before dragging his eyes back up her body hungrily to meet her eyes once more, tampering down his body's natural reaction to seeing her and tucking it away inside his heart once again.

"Too much?" She asked with an unabashed smile, knowing that Derek Morgan definitely liked what he saw. It was one of those rare times that his eyes were telling her everything he wouldn't and she intended to have some fun with it.

"Never." He said with feeling, "you," he began, taking her hand and motioning for her to do a little twirl, "are," he paused, watching as her red skirt floated out and back in with her twirling body, "a walking Christmas wonderland, Baby Girl." He finished as she ended her spin facing him once more.

"Why thank you, Hot Stuff, wanna know a secret?" She teased with a sultry smile. When he nodded, his ever so expressive brown eyes looking at her expectantly she took a step closer, plucking at his t-shirt playfully: "the earrings even sing." She said, somewhat breathlessly before turning away from him and quickly heading for the conference room, smiling largely as she heard his raucous, loud laughter echo after her, he hadn't expected that one that was for sure; Garcia 1 – Morgan 0.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So this is where we knock out all these prompts :)

Enjoy!

-x-x-x-x-

"Why do I need to close my eyes again?" he asked as he followed her up the stairs to her apartment, and thus beginning their usual Christmas routine. He had been hoping and praying all day that they wouldn't have a case and had been so thankful when, after literally bumping into his God Given Solace, his prayer was answered and Hotch announced that Team B had the Holiday Shift this year and they would be finishing that day for a two week holiday they had been granted by those higher up. It seemed their hard work was being noticed and thanked for. However, it wasn't all fun and games over their "days off"; they still had paperwork and consults to do. Though, he mused, that was definitely better than chasing an UNSUB in an unknown city or town. He'd take paperwork and consults if it meant they would be UNSUB-free for Christmas.

"Because I want it to be a surprise, Hot Stuff, and it doesn't get the full effect until it's just the fairy lights that are on." She said in a tone that screamed: _silly man!_

"It's Christmas decorations whether I see them in the light or not sugar, what difference does it-" He cut himself off quickly as she stopped searching her bag for her keys and instead turned to glare at him from behind her red rimmed specs with fire in her eyes. "I'll close my eyes." He mumbled quickly and watched as an excited smile graced her features once more and he smiled with her, he loved being the one to make her smile like that.

Unlocking the door she pocketed her keys and turned to Morgan, her expression serious once more: "Eyes shut, mister. And no peeking whatsoever, understand?"

"Yes ma'am." He mock saluted.

"Ma'am?" She parroted, crinkling her nose at the name. "Do I look like a ma'am to you, D?" She asked with one eyebrow raised in question, her face a mask of seriousness. She watched as the cogs in his brain turned to try and work out something to say to fix it.

"A very sexy one?" He said, his voice rising at the end making it sound more like a question than a fact and she couldn't help but laugh; the man was too adorable sometimes.

"You don't sound so sure about that, handsome. You wanna try something else?" She asked with a smirk.

"Just open the door, Mamma." He said with a laugh, taking her shoulders and turning her towards the door once more. He'd much rather continue this banter inside, and, though he wouldn't admit it, he was excited to see her decorations, she always went all out.

"Nu uh." She said, wiggling free of his grasp and stepping behind him. Rising up on to her tip toes she placed her hands over his eyes making sure he wouldn't peek. "After you."

Morgan gulped, he could feel her every curve pressed against his back because of how she was stretched up in order to cover his eyes completely and he had never been so pleased to be 6' 1". Shaking himself from his thoughts he reached blindly for the door knob and walked ahead into her hall trying to judge how far he could walk from how well he now knew her place.

He heard her kick the door shut behind him and then she spoke: "I'm going to take my hands off now, but you have to keep your eyes shut, promise?"

"If you want me to seduce you I need to be able to see you." Morgan joked, trying to peer out from beneath her fingers.

"Hardy har har handsome, a man like you, I'm sure you could do it with your eyes shut. Or is what I've heard about you all false?" She teased, her breath tickling his neck. She felt his shoulders square and before he could say another word she added: "And that was not a challenge, Hot Stuff. Now will you keep your eyes shut?"

"Promise." He said, choosing to keep his other thoughts to himself for now.

She removed her hands slowly and backed away from his body, taking in all the decorations with a smile; she truly loved Christmas. Checking once again that his eyes were shut she then ran to close all the curtains, blocking out the little remaining light that the setting sun was casting on the room before pressing the play button on her player, the familiar opening to Slade's 'Merry Xmas Everybody' playing out into the room.

"Slade, nice choice." Morgan stated, recognising the song immediately.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" She asked when she was stood in front of him once more, taking in the soft lines of his face and the strong line of his jaw as he stood in the middle of her pokey little purple flat with his eyes shut, waiting patiently for her to say the word so he could look once again.

"Three." He flung out; picking the first number that came into his head. Thankfully for Morgan, he was wrong.

"Okay, open your eyes." She instructed, watching him through the darkness as he did so.

"Garcia, I can only just about see you never mind these decorations; go on, turn on these hundreds of fairy lights I _know_ you're bound to have." He said with a grin and she swore she could see the whiteness of his teeth in the dark, she wondered if he used whitening toothpaste for a second before her mind made it back to the task at hand and she flicked the switch on the multi socket nearest to her.

The hundreds of fairy lights illuminated the room in a warm golden glow and his eyes took in every aspect of it:

Her tree was massive, taking up one of the four corners of her main room, it was covered in sparkling tinsel, glittery baubles, candy canes like the ones on her shoes and an assortment of random ornaments; from hand-made ones from years gone by to a wonderfully crafted little stable scene. It was once again the epitome of both Christmas and Penelope Garcia.

Her couch was covered in cushions with Christmas themed pictures and words on them; joy, happiness, peace, love, Christmas and there was even a hand-made one with Happy Crimbo written across it in perfect cross-stitch.

The whole room was illuminated under the glow of the fairy lights and each and every little sparkly Christmas ornament she had dotted about was glinting in the light; it certainly was one heck of a Christmas grotto.

"Wow." Came Morgan's simple reply, a massive smile on his lips as he turned to see her looking up at him expectantly. "You've outdone yourself this year, P. I didn't know how you were going to top last year, but you have."

"Mission accomplished." She said with a smile that matched his. "How about we have some special Christmas cookies and we find a cheesy Christmas movie on tv?"

"It wouldn't be Christmas without that tradition, bring it." He said happily, following her into the kitchen to help her fetch these cookies.

"One of the best Christmas songs...ever." Morgan said, through a bite of the Santa shaped cookie he had just stolen from the tray, as the next song started, Fairytale Of New York by Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues, the only decent version of this song in Morgan's mind.

"I dunno, handsome, there's a few great ones been brought out, I mean what about the classics, Bing Crosby and Cliff Richard?" She questioned, turning back to place more cookies on the plate to hide her smile; she loved that song too, just enjoyed winding him up about it more.

"Pffft. Not the same lea-" He cut himself off with a laugh, his ears tuning in to the new song that was playing out: "Baby Girl, has your iPod just gone from 'A Fairytale Of New York' to 'O Little Town Of Bethlehem', seriously?"

"You know I have a very wide taste in music." She said with a smile, turning to face him, clutching the tray of cookies to herself. "Plus, it's Christmas music, anything goes with Christmas tunes."

"True." He conceded with a slight nod of his head, leaning in to grab another cookie.

She turned away from him quickly. "Hey! Why can't I have another one?" He pouted.

"Gotta save some for the movies, Sugar plum. Now get that tush moving and pick the first movie." She ordered.

"Nu uh," He called over his shoulder as he followed her first direction. "That's not tradition, P, and you know it; you get first choice, always."

"If you insist." She replied with a smile; this was always part of their routine and she wouldn't change a second of it, it was tradition.

Later that night after a Christmas movie marathon - of White Christmas, A Muppet's Christmas Carol and Elf to top it all off – Garcia excused herself with a slight yawn, coming back to join him in the lounge five minutes later. He looked up and couldn't help but stare; she had never looked as gorgeous to him as she did right then in her bright red flannel shirt and trouser pyjamas that had small candy canes on them, her hair falling in loose curls about her shoulders and her face completely free of make-up. She was stunning, and in the glow of the fairy lights he'd be tempted to say she looked almost...angelic. It was as if something was reminding him that she was his God Given Solace, his angel.

"Close your mouth, you'll catch a fly." She said with a knowing smile as she sat back down on the sofa, leaning against his broad chest once again. He laughed at her reply and she felt the vibrations through his chest and smiled, he wasn't even denying it; Garcia 2 – Morgan 0.

"I'm loving the candy cane theme today, baby." He said, flicking her collar with his fingers. "Very festive."

"I thought so too; you got any festive touches you wanna share?" She asked with a teasing lilt to her voice as she tilted her head back to look at him, giggling, he looked funny upside down.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He teased back, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Oh I think I definitely would, my Adonis, especially considering I can't see any right now and that response suggests you just might do; I've only got two guesses where these festive touches are and by god I hope my first thought's right." She teased further.

"I hate to dash your hopes, sweetness, but it's nothing as exciting as what your mind'll have conjured up." He said, crossing his right foot on top of his left knee, revealing the 'Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas' written across the tops of them.

"Damn." She muttered, her smile growing further as he chuckled at her reaction.

"Were you hoping for Christmassy boxers?" He asked with a knowing smile.

"Maaaaybe." She replied, enjoying their teasing.

"Better luck next year, P." He said as he looped his left arm around her, pulling her closer and kissing her head, taking that moment to breathe in the fruity smell of her shampoo, she even smelt amazing. He was a goner, he really knew that much.

"Oh, it won't be down to just luck, Hot Stuff, I know just the thing to get..." She teased, although part of her was already wondering where she could find some. She felt his laughter vibrate through his chest before she heard it.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Last chapter! Thanks for reading, reviewing, alerting and hope you all have a great time over the Holidays! :)

I had a little bit of trouble writing the second half of this chapter with other stuff going on, so a shout out to klcm who encouraged me on and gave me the push and ideas I needed :)

Merry Christmas, BonesBird. Hope you like it!

-x-x-x-x-

Every year they all swapped presents, and this year was no exception, with JJ managing to make it to the restaurant as well. They were all in high spirits, each of them enjoying the start to their holidays and just being with their friends during this festive time. Reid, beet red after JJ kissed him on the cheek under a piece of mistletoe was babbling on about some ancient folklore surrounding it: "Did you know that the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe was described as early as 1820, by Washington Irving?" When nobody answered he continued eagerly explaining. "He said: 'The mistletoe is still hung up in farm-houses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases.' So you see..."

His words were stopped when Rossi clapped a strong hand on his shoulder and announced: "What I think the kid is trying to say is: Happy Holidays and let's open presents." He mumbled his agreement and they all dug in to the pile in the middle of the table to find the presents with their names on them.

After a good few hours spent opening gifts, chatting and joking around – and even a few Christmas songs hummed along to as well – they began to go their separate ways, each of them all looking forward to their, now extended, time off over the holidays, everyone so pleased that team B had the holiday shift this year and they could relax and enjoy the time with their families and friends.

"Follow Esther, Hot Stuff, I've still got a surprise for you." Garcia called to Morgan, eliciting a few backward glances at them from the rest of their friends who all smiled knowingly; maybe those two would finally give in to the magic and let it happen. Christmas always was a time for miracles.

"Oh do you now, Sweetness?" He asked curiously, wondering why she hadn't given it to him then; well that certainly meant one of two things: either it was something dirty or it was something deeply personal that she wanted for his eyes only...or, a third option, she merely wanted to tease him with the prospect of either. Sometimes the woman was a complete puzzle to him.

"That I do, now get your tush in that gas guzzler you call a car and I'll meet you at mine." She trilled as she hopped in her trusty caddy before starting up the engine and heading out the car park, sending a wave over her shoulder and a call of "Merry Christmas!" to the rest of her friends.

"So what've you got for me then, Sugar?" Morgan asked as he shrugged his jacket off and flung it over the arm of her couch before letting himself fall down on to it as he admired the extent of her Christmas decorations once more.

"Lemme just go get it and you'll find out, Mr Impatient." She teased gently, leaving the room.

Coming back into the room a few moments later she smiled at Morgan; he was sat on her couch with his Christmas sock covered feet propped up on her coffee table, he looked completely at ease in her little apartment and that thought warmed her heart.

"Catch." She said, alerting him to her presence, before she tossed the parcel at him. He caught it easily and poked his tongue out at her, she replied in kind, laughing. "Nice catch."

He laughed in response, "Thanks." Before beginning to squeeze the wrapped present in his hands in order to guess what it was; he was deliberately taking his time, knowing that she would be getting impatient waiting for him to open it.

"Hmmm well it's soft and obviously not breakable." He remarked with a wryly. "Hmmm...it has to be clothes; oh baby you didn't, did you?" He asked, knowing that it would be a very festively decorated pair of boxers that were wrapped so loving in the red, green and gold paper sparkly paper.

"Only way to find out is to open it." She replied with a smile so large she gave herself away.

"You should know by now that I can read you like a book, Gorgeous, it's definitely Christmassy underwear then." He said with a grin as he ripped open the paper.

"What d'ya think, handsome? Will they do your package justice?" She teased as she plonked herself down on the couch cushion next to him, tucking her feet under herself in order to sit facing him.

"You couldn't wait a whole year, could you?" He said with a warm laugh, she shook her head, no. "They're very...festive." He said with a grin, pulling the two top corners of the fabric out and surveying them. They were some soft black material (he was sure Garcia could tell him exactly what) with hundreds of tiny red and white candy canes all over them. "And, I do believe we'd be matching if you wore the candy canes pyjamas, you trying to hint at something P? Mark me off as yours?" He teased, part of him wishing it were true. She laughed, her smile stretching across her face at his words.

"Only if you want me to be." She teased right back, leaning forward to place a hand on his arm. She watched the heat flare in his eyes and wondered why she had never seen it before or if for some weird reason this time of year made it more obvious. But whatever it was she was certainly going to take full advantage of it. "Go on then, you can't get Christmassy boxers and not wear them, D." She said with a smile and a somewhat predatory gleam in her eyes that he definitely spotted.

"You wanting a private show Baby Girl?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows lasciviously.

"Oh most definitely Sweetness, why else do you think I bought you them?" She shot back, her tone flirty and her smile wide, teasing him; challenging him almost. Derek Morgan was never one to back down from a challenge, especially not one given by his Baby Girl.

"Gimme a few minutes then." He said with a confident grin as he practically leapt from the couch, boxers in hand, and headed for her bathroom. Another point to me, Garcia thought with a smile.

"Handsome," she called to him through the locked door with the familiar teasing lilt to her voice. "You better not put those jeans back on; I wanna see how well my present fits."

"Oh I wouldn't dream of it, Baby." He called back, shucking his jeans off and then replacing his boxers with the pair Garcia had bought him, they were exactly the right size. He smirked to himself wondering how she'd managed to get it exactly spot on. "You've been checking my family jewels out, girl, or how else'd you know exactly what size to get me?" He said with a smirk as he opened the door and stepped back out into her main room.

"I'm all knowing, Handsome, it would be good for you to remember that." She teased, trying to hide the gasp of delight that had escaped at the sight of him. She only wished he'd taken off his shirt too, _then_ she'd have been in Derek Morgan heaven.

"Hold that t-shirt up then and give us a whirl, Hot Stuff, show me that my Christmas present is great from all angles." She said with a sparkle in her eyes. He complied with a laugh and, if she was not mistaken, a slight blush. Derek Morgan _never_ blushed. Another point to her, she couldn't help but think.

"You," she began with a wide grin as she met his eyes once again, almost exactly parroting what he had said to her the other day, "Are now a walking Christmas wonderland, Hot Stuff."

"Unfortunately," He began, taking a step closer to her. "I don't have singing earrings." He almost whispered when he was a mere hairs breath away from her.

She would've usually laughed at that kind of comment but he was right in her personal space, so close she could feel his warm breath on her cheek, his eyes boring right into hers with such intensity that all that escaped her lips was a sort of strangled giggle. He smiled then, watching her still with that same brooding heat in his eyes and she knew that this was truly happening now, right now. And she couldn't help her reaction and she didn't want to when she felt his lips on hers, kissing her hungrily and with more passion than she had ever felt before; and all from a mere touch of his lips!

She reached up with one hand, cupping his neck and pulling him down towards her for better access as she stood on her tiptoes, helped out by Derek's hands on her butt pulling her up towards him; he was as hungry for her as she was him it seemed. Her other hand snaked its way to the bottom of his t-shirt, not caring that she was being rather forward as she felt the hard muscles under her fingers before she began to tug at the t-shirt; _off_! Morgan understood her action and took a half step backwards, his lips leaving hers as he asked her with his eyes that this was really what she wanted, in reply she smiled wickedly:

"Take it off, Hot Stuff." He did so and a moment later their lips met in another frantic kiss and this time her hands roamed over the broad expanse of chest and abs that were bared to her.

He growled slightly into her mouth, his hands reflexively squeezing her butt as she trailed her nails across his shoulder. She smiled against his mouth at the sound and repeated her ministrations on the other shoulder; he responded the same way and a thrill ran through her, he made that kind of noise and that was just his shoulder...she wonder what would happen if she went elsewhere.

"Don't even think about it, Darlin'." He said and his voice was thick with desire. "I need to unwrap you first. I wanna see if _your_ festive attire goes all the way to your undies, too." He teased, hearing her chuckle before his lips latched on to her neck sucking and kissing his way down it and her chuckles quickly turned to soft moans. He followed the curve of her neck all the way to her collar bone while he roamed her curves with his hands, feeling every inch of her he could as if he couldn't get enough. It was true, he couldn't.

When he reached the divot where her collar bones met her placed a soft kiss there as he snaked his hands down to the hem of her dress, pulling it up and over her head, a massive grin adorning her face as he saw just what was on her bra; little tiny candy canes. He chuckled softly, placing a kiss in her cleavage before looking up at her with a mixture of love, warmth and lust in his eyes when he spoke: "I shouldn't have expected anything else."

And his lips were on hers once more as he worked on removing the candy cane covered bra.

"You were right, I _was_ trying to 'mark you off' as mine." She said in between kisses as she began to direct them towards her bedroom. She was never gladder of having a small apartment than when they made it to the bed quickly and he leant over her, brushing a few stray curls from in front of her face and looking down at her with what she knew was love in his eyes. He didn't need to tell her he loved her, his eyes were doing it for him in leaps and bounds.

"I'm yours now, later and forever from here on in, Baby Girl." He said with a soft smile as he stared into her eyes. "And I want a new pair of Christmas themed boxers every year if this is how a try on session'll end." He added with a wink, partly as a cover from how serious he was being; he was putting his heart out there and his first defence mechanism would always be humour, he just hoped that he was reading the look in her eyes correctly and that she did in fact feel exactly as he did.

"I like the sound of that, Handsome, I'm going to hold you to that from here on out." She said in reply, her eyes shining with all the love she held for him. Not wanting to waste another minute she pulled him down towards her and their lips met once again in a searing kiss that spread fire throughout both of their bodies, and they certainly set the sheets on fire that night.

The whispered 'I love you's in between kisses and touches were the best early Christmas presents either of them had ever had or hoped for.


End file.
